Timepiece

ABSTRACT

A timepiece with setting mechanism including a sliding gear for correcting the hour indicator of the timepiece. The sliding gear is controlled by a control stem movable between a working position in which the gear acts on the hour indicator and a rest position in which the gear is inoperative. A lever operable by a trigger-piece acts on the sliding gear to maintain the same in its rest position when the stem is in its setting position.

0 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,844,107 Guyot Oct. 29, 1974 TIMEPIECE 3,673,790 7 1972 Gasser et al. 58 855 x 3,756,015 9/1973 Saito 58/425 [75-] lnvemorchflrles Guy, Tavannes, 3,765,162 10/1973 Ushiyama et al. 58/425 Sw1tzerland [73] Assignee: Ebauches S.A., Neuchatel, Canton FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS f Neuchatel Switzerland l,l49,238 12/1957 France 58/70 Filed: July 23, 1973 Appl. N0.: 381,683

Foreign Application Priority Data July 24, 1972 Switzerland 11029/72 US. Cl 58/42.5, 58/70, 58/855 Int. Cl.. G04b 19/22, G04b 27/02, G04b 27/00 Field of Search 58/425, 43, 58, 63-66,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/l97l Walker 58/425 Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmSilverman & Cass [5 7 ABSTRACT A timepiece with setting mechanism including a sliding gear for correcting the hour indicator of the timepiece. The sliding gear is controlled by a control stem movable between a working position in which the gear acts on the hour indicator and a rest position in which the gear is inoperative. A lever operable by a triggerpiece acts on the sliding gear to maintain the same in its rest position when the stem is in its setting position.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEmm 29 1974 3.844; 1 O7 sum 2 or a nod TIMEPIECE The present invention relates to a timepiece in which the hour indicator thereof is frictionally driven and is submitted to the action of control means permitting the hour indicator to move independently of the minute indicator, the timepiece comprising a control mechanism including a stem moveable between at least two axial positions, in one of which position the stem is operable for setting of the timepiece by exerting the effect of its operation on the two indicators.

The timepiece is characterized by the fact that the control means comprise a sliding gear for correction of the hour indicator, the sliding gear being submitted to the action of the control stem and moveable between a working position in which the gear acts on the said hour indicator, and a rest position in which the gear is inoperative, the control mechanism comprising a lever operated by a trigger-piece which acts on the said sliding gear for maintaining the gear in its rest position when the stem occupies its setting position BRIEF'DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawing shows, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention, and two modifications.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a calendar-watch in which only the elements necessary to the understanding of the invention have been represented.-

FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan views of a portion of the watch, in two different positions of its control mechamsm.

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of a portion of the gearing of the watch.

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional taken along the line VV of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a detail taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4, on a smaller scale.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of a detail of a modification of the invention, in three different operating positions corresponding respectively to the three positions of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the first embodiment, and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a detail of a second modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The watch represented comprises a conventional hour hand I intended to indicate the local time, carried by an hour wheel 2, a minute hand 3, carried by a cannon-pinion 4, and a second hand carried by a second shaft 6 passing through the cannon-pinion 4.

The hour wheel 2 is not directly driven by the gearing of the movement but by a second hour wheel, designated by 7, engaged on the cannon-pinion 4, meshing with the pinion, designated by 8, of the dial-train. This second hour wheel 7 is provided with an annular rim 7a working as a distance piece, which maintains it at a distance from the hour wheel 2. In the free space 9 between the wheels 2 and 7 is located an annular spring 10, visible in FIG. 6, forced on a pin 11 carried by the wheel 7. This spring is provided, diametrically op posed to its securing point on the wheel 7, with a V- shaped protrusion 10a cooperating with a starwheel 12, having twelve teeth, forced on the hour wheel 2. The mechanism as disclosed constitutes a jumper ensuring the friction driving of the hour wheel 2 by means of the hour wheel 7 and ensuring moreover the stability of the wheel 2 in twelve different angular positions with respect to the wheel 7. The jumper spring 10 being symmetric with respect to a diametrical plane passing through the point of its protrusion 10a, it can work indifferently in the two directions.

The watch represented comprises moreover a supplementary indicator of the hours constituted by a crown 13 provided with an inner toothing 13a, of 24 teeth, with which cooperates, once per revolution, a pin 14 carried by a plate 15 rigid with a wheel 16 meshing with the wheel, designated by 17, of the dial-train. The wheel 16 rotating at the speed of one revolution per hour, the crown 13 is driven step by step at the rate of one step per hour; it is provided with 24 sub-divisions, numbered from 1 to 24, appearing successively through a window of the dial, not represented.

The watch represented is a calendar-watch: it comprises a date indicator constituted by a crown 18 provided with an inner toothing 18a for driving the same by the gearing of the movement, by means of a mecha nism not represented, at the rate of one step per 24 hours. This toothing 18a also is operable for manual correction of the crown 18, as will be explained hereafter. The watch represented comprises a control mechanism including a radial stem 19 operable between three axial positions; a sliding pinion 20 mounted on the stem 19; a lever 21 articulated at 22 on the frame of the movement and which is submitted to the action of a return spring 23 which urges it to move towards the outside of the movement, this lever being provided with a portion 21a engaging a groove 24 of the sliding pinion. A trigger-piece 25 articulated at 26 on the frame of the movement and which carries a pin 27 engaging a groove 28 of the stem 19 produces the displacements of the lever 21 against the action of its return spring 23. A jumping device 29 ensures the stability, by the intermediary of the trigger-piece 25, of the three axial positions of the stem 19.

The lever 21 carries, rotatably mounted thereon, a wheel 30 permanently meshing with the toothing 20a of the sliding pinion, and which is coaxial with a starwheel 31, having five teeth, intended to cooperate, in one of the axial positions of the stem 19, with the toothing 18a of the date-crown 18 for permitting the manual correction. The connection between the wheel 30 and the star-wheel 31 is a friction one, being ensured by a resilient washer 32 interposed between these two elements.

The control means for operating the hour hand 1 are constituted by a sliding element comprising a wheel 33, intended to mesh with a wheel 30 carried by the lever 21, and a star-wheel 34, having four teeth, intended to cooperate with the hour wheel 2. The shaft 35 of the element 33-34 is moveable in an elongated opening 36 provided in the plate 37 (FIG. 5) of the movement. A blade-spring 38 acts on the star-wheel 34 on the one hand for ensuring the stability of the angular position thereof and on the other hand for urging the element 33-34 to move towards the right side of FIGS. 1 through 3. A heel 21b of the lever 21 acts on the shaft 35, in one of the positions of the stem 19, for maintaining the element 33-34 at the left extremity, viewed in the drawing, of the opening 36, against the action of the return spring 38.

The disclosed and represented watch operates as follows:

The hour hand 1 is intended to indicate the local time, that is to say the time of the place where the user of the watch is positioned while the twenty-four hours crown 13 is intended to indicate the time of a predetermined time-zone which, in principle, remains unchanged. When the user of the watch is travelling and passes from one time-zone to another one, he effects the correction of the hour hand 1, without driving the other hands or the 24 hours crown 13, while'operating the stem 19 occupying its pushed position, represented in FIG. 1. I

In this position, the wheel 30 carried by the lever 21 is' in meshed engagement with the wheel 33 rigid with the star-wheel 34 of correction of the hand 1, so that this hand is driven during the operation of the stem 19. The position of the heel 21b of the lever 21 is such that the element 33-34 is situated at the right extremity, viewed in the drawing, of the elongated opening 36, in a position in which the star-wheel 34 is able to cooperate v'vith the hour wheel 2. Thus, while operating the stem 19 in one sense or in the other, one drives the hour hand 1 in one sense or in the other one. Owing to the spring operating as a jumper, the displacements of the hand 1 are effected step by step at the rate of one twelfth of revolution for each step.

It is to be noted that, in this position of the stem 19, the star-wheel 31 for the correction of the dates is not inmeshed engagement with thetoothing 18a of the date crown 18, so that the operation of the stem 19 does not upset the calendar.

When one wishes to correct the position of the date indicator 18, for instance at the end of the months of thirty days, the stem 19 is moved to its intermediary axial position, represented in FIG. 2. In this position, the wheel 31 is in meshed'engagement with the toothing 18a of the date indicator 18, so that the operation of the stem 19 is permitted to'act on this indicator. A

jumper, not represented, cooperates with the toothing 18a for ensuring the stability of the several positions of the indicator 18.

It is to be noted that, if the date indicator 18 is driven by the gearing of the movement at the very moment when the wheel 31 is in meshed engagement with its toothing 18a, no deleterious effect would occur, since the wheel 31 is not rigidly mounted on the wheel 30 but is connected therewith by means of the resilient washer 32.

It is also to be noted that, in this intermediary position of the stem 19 (FIG. 2), the wheels 30 and 33 are not meshed with each other, so that the star-wheel 34 for the correction of the hand 1 is not driven.

When it is desired to reset all hands of the watch as well as the 24 hours crown 13, the stem 19 is moved to its pulled position, represented in FIG. 3 in which the wheel 30'is meshed with a setting wheel 39 in meshed engagement with the center wheel, designated by 40 (FIG. 4). In this position, the wheel 31 for the correction of the dates is not meshed with the toothing 18a, so that the date indicator 18 is not driven. Moreover, the heel 21b of the lever 21 actson the shaft 35 of the element 33-34 for maintaining this element in such a position that the wheel 33 is not meshed with the wheel 30.

The modification of FIGS. 7 to 9 distinguishes from the first embodiment by the fact that the heel 21b of the lever 21 is replaced by an arm 41a of the control lever, designated by 41, in which is provided a V-shaped notch 42 traversed by the extremity of the shaft of the sliding element 33-34.

This modification operates similarly as the first embodiment, but with more safety due to the fact that the shaft 35 of the sliding element 33-34 is obliged to occupy the positions impelled thereto by the opening 42 of the portion 41a of the lever 41, while, in the first embodiment, the shaft 35 can move away from the heel 21b of the lever 21 especially in the case of a shock. In this modification, the spring 38 does not serve to return the sliding element, but serves only as a jumper ensuring the stability of the several positions of the starwheel 34.

The modification of FIG. 10 distinguishes from the first embodiment by the fact that the star-wheel 34, having four branches, is replaced by a wheel 43 having two branches, each of which being constituted by a pair of teeth 43a meshing, one after the other, with the hour wheel 2. The stability of the rest positions of the element 33-43, which positions are in the number of two, is ensured by a spring 44 acting on a cam 45 rigid with the sliding element.

In this embodiment, the control of the sliding element will beensured preferably by a lever of the type of the lever 41 of the modification of FIGS. 7 to 9 rather than by a lever of the type of the lever 21 of the first embodiment.

What I claim is:

1. Timepiece comprising a frictionally driven hour indicator and a minute indicator, control means for moving the hour indicator independently of the minute indicator, the control means including a control mechanism with a control stem movable between at least a first axial position for setting the timepiece by moving the hour and minute indicators and a second axial position for setting only the hour indicator, said control means including a sliding wheel for correction of the hour indicator, the sliding wheel being submitted to the action of the control stem and movable between a work position for operating said hour indicator and a rest position in which the sliding wheel is inoperative, the control mechanism including a lever operated by a triggerpiece and the lever is operable on said sliding wheel for maintaining the same in its rest position when the stem occupies its first position.

2. Timepiece as claimed in claim 1, in which the control stern carries a sliding pinion and the lever carries a wheel permanently meshing with the sliding pinion, displacements of the sliding pinion being governed by said lever, whereby when the control stem is in its second position the last named wheel meshes with a setting wheel rigidly connected with the sliding wheel.

3. Timepiece as claimed in claim 2, in which the lever includes a heel and the sliding wheel is mounted on a shaft, a return spring connected to the shaft for returning the same to a rest position, said heel being operable on the shaft to maintain the same against the action of the return spring in a position in which the setting wheel rigidly connected with the sliding wheel is disengaged from the wheel carried by the lever when the control stem is in its first position.

4. Timepiece as claimed in claim 2, in which the lever has an opening provided thereon and the sliding wheel is mounted on a shaft positioned in the opening whereby movement of the lever will move the sliding wheel into its alternate positions.

sively in the window.

7. Timepiece as claimed in claim 6 in which the dial train thereof has a wheel which meshes with a wheel rotating at the speed of one revolution per hour, said dial train wheel having a finger carried thereon for operating once per revolution the 24 hours crown. 

1. Timepiece comprising a frictionally driven hour indicator and a minute indicator, control means for moving the hour indicator independently of the minute indicator, the control means including a control mechanism with a control stem movable between at least a first axial position for setting the timepiece by moving the hour and minute indicators and a second axial position for setting only the hour indicator, said control means including a sliding wheel for correction of the hour indicator, the sliding wheel being submitted to the action of the control stem and movable between a work position for operating said hour indicator and a rest position in which the sliding wheel is inoperative, the control mechanism including a lever operated by a triggerpiece and the lever is operable on said sliding wheel for maintaining the same in its rest position when the stem occupies its first position.
 2. Timepiece as claimed in claim 1, in which the control stem carries a sliding pinion and the lever carries a wheel permanently meshing with the sliding pinion, displacements of the sliding pinion being governed by said lever, whereby when the control stem is in its second position the last named wheel meshes with a setting wheel rigidly connected with the sliding wheel.
 3. Timepiece as claimed in claim 2, in which the lever includes a heel and the sliding wheel is mounted on a shaft, a return spring connected to the shaft for returning the same to a rest position, said heel being operable on the shaft to maintain the same against the action of the return spring in a position in which the setting wheel rigidly connected with the sliding wheel is disengaged from the wheel carried by the lever when the control stem is in its first position.
 4. Timepiece as claimed in claim 2, in which the lever has an opening provided thereon and the sliding wheel is mounted on a shaft positioned in the opening whereby movement of the lever will move the sliding wheel into its alternate positions.
 5. Timepiece as claimed in claim 1, including a supplementary hour indicator, the supplementary indicator being driven step by step by the movement at the rate of one step per hour.
 6. Timepiece as claimed in claim 5 in which the timepiece includes a dial having a window and the supplementary indicator includes a crown provided with 24 subdivisions numbered from 1 to 24 appearing successively in the window.
 7. Timepiece as claimed in claim 6 in which the dial train thereof has a wheel which meshes with a wheel rotating at the speed of one revolution per hour, said dial train wheel having a finger carried thereon for operating once per revolution the 24 hours crown. 